Solar panels covered with photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity. In order to make a solar panel several modules have to be connected together. Making solar panels is really a very delicate process, and solar panels have only recently reached respectable level of efficiency primarily thanks to the advancement in semiconductors and photovoltaic design.

Solar panel needs group of photovoltaic cells to produce electricity because single photovoltaic cell is not capable to produce enough electricity, more used cells means more electricity, and the factor that contributes to the amount of generated electricity is also the amount of sunlight. The more sunlight there is the more electricity will be produced.

Solar panels are extremely stable because there are no moving parts, and because of this there is also very little maintenance needed. They also last for very long and they should be more than capable to efficiently produce electricity for at least 20 years.

Current home appliances run on alternating current (AC) so solar panel owners need to have solar power inverter that will convert direct current (DC) power from the solar cells to alternating current (AC). There are three main types of solar panel inverters:Stand-Alone Solar Panel Inverters, Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters, and Multi-function Solar Panel Inverters.

In order for solar panel to operate efficiently and reliably it is of vital importance that it doesn't overheat itself. For this purpose manufactures use thermally conductive cement. Without thermally conductive cement any leftover energy that the solar panel is unable to convert to electricity would overheat the unit and significantly reduce the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.

When installing solar panels it is vital to elevate the solar panel above ground with the help of solar mounts to let the airflow underneath cool the device. The three most common types of solar mounts are universal mounts, flush mounts, and pole mounts.

When installing your solar panels you need to make sure that you position your solar panel directly to sunlight to ensure its maximum efficiency. Also make sure to remove all items that may be blocking sunlight to your solar panel.

The dollar-per-watt ratio is the best way to compare the prices of solar cells. How does this ratio work? If we assume that a solar array costs $500 and generates 100 Watts, the dollar-per-watt ratio is $5.00 per watt. The current best deals on solar cells is around $4.30 per watt.

Solar panels are frequently used on satellites, where array of solar cells provide reliable power for the satellite's electrical systems.

Solar panels are lately not only becoming more efficient but also more cheaper but still not cheap enough to compete with the costs of fossil fuels (2-5 times more expensive compared to fossil fuels). But government incentives, environmental advantages, and advancing solar technologies should decrease this gap in costs in years to come.